Wednesday, November 09, 2016

Monday, November 07, 2016

guys, thanks for the remarks, it is good to know I was able to spend time and enjoy my aunt before she left us. it helped getting away last weekend too I think.
I had a blast last weekend! whoah! was such a great getaway, not think about anything, family, work, home, etc...just great fun. I flew out there direct flight from OKC and graded papers on the way, arrived in just after 3 and my friend Jen picked me up and drove me to Ft Mill. a beautiful on the 47 acres left of their property that her grandparents had owned. barn, cows, chickens, farmhouse where her parents lived and then right across the shared driveway, her home that had been built for her grandparents in the 80's and where she's lived for 14 years with her two boys and ex husband, he lives in town now for 3 yrs. anyway, her boys were home playing games or whatever, a 15 yo and 9 yo.
we walked around the farm a bit, hung out and I listeed to the 9yo son talk and show me things and play his star wars game xbox. talked to jen about all the remodeling done on the house which helped after the divorce living in the same place. they used a ChikFila ap to order dinner and we went and picked it up. later she took me to a friend's house in a very nice older neighborhood surrounded by trees with two story homes on nice sized lots, a friend who had other artist friends over and a showing of stuff in several rooms in the house, she chatted a bit with people she new and I met a few people, but we were only there shortly and then back home to keep visiting and catching up.
Saturday I slept in peacefully, got up and had breakfast with her and the boys, she'd made eggs and bacon yum... I spent some time walking around outside, got to know the teenager a bit, artsy guy who loves soccer and alt bands ha. graded some, but by 12 we were off to the Mint museum to meet another teacher we worked with in Central AMerica who lives north of Charlotte. It was quite a lot of fun because while teaching and living in the same complex in Central America, Jen had a car down there and we'd go down the hill with her into the capital city to get away and discover things to do togther. Jen is a few years younger than me but the other lady was like at least ten years older, so it was one of those things where we were friends and hanging because of the situation which is part of the fun of living over seas if you ask me. anyway, it was as if the 15 years had never passes, we started back right where we left off. we met her at the Mint Art Museum in Charllotte which I believe is the actual former Mint where they started the museum?? after looking all around an extensive British ceramic collection and a bit more exciting mask exhibit, we all got in Jen's car to go to lunch. we ended up at Earl's Grocery on Elizabeth Ave and Hawthorne, beautiful weekend and city! great lunch and conversation!
after that we went downtown to the Mint Museum Uptown and what a display of art, and furniture, and glasswork, and all sorts of things, really worth a visit.. well we had to pick her boys back up from their dad's by 5 so we went all went back and said goodbye to our friend, then her place, and then ordered food from a fish fry place and ate in. watching movies and I played Mancala? or something a game and dominos with the boys.. up late.
Sunday was church and instead of a service, we entered through a line at the back door and they handed up hair nets and gloves as we walked into the hall filled with tables and stations for filling bags of rice and grain for stop the hunger. ha so Jen and I and the 15 yo old were at a station sealing the bags after they were brought over and measured and they would add or take away rice before we sealed them. I had an extra hairnet to cover my beard. ha.
Sunday wasn't over yet, but I'm beat tonight and turning in. I'll get the rest up and some pics later. thank thank you Charlotte NC. :)

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About Me

daninokc@gmail.com
After finishing grad school I left OKC to teach overseas for a year, returned to teach high school for 3 years, and now am teaching fulltime at a community college, it's AWESOME....I'm overall an optimistic fun social type of guy. I like to take care of myself, get involved in projects, love to travel and at home just find time to RELAX.